Article by
Barbados Today

Published on
December 16, 2016

Government has “categorically” denied charges by Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) leader Mia Mottley that it had ignored a Chinese offer to finance rehabilitation of the South Coast sewerage system.

Wrapping up debate last night in the Senate on a resolution for the acquisition of a portion of land in a section of Upper Collymore Rock for the building of a roundabout, Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Maxine McClean said the charge was simply not true and Mottley was out of place.

During a BLP meeting on Sunday night, the BLP leader charged that the Freundel Stuart administration had failed to acknowledge an offer made two-and-a-half years ago by a leading Chinese bank to provide hundreds of millions of dollars to fix the problematic south coast sewerage system, along with the Bridgetown system, and to build one for the west coast.

However, McClean took Mottley to task over the allegations, suggesting the issue was more complex than the Opposition Leader had made it appear to be.

“As Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade I know something about negotiations with our bilateral partners and I have heard on repeated and multiple occasions by the Leader of the Opposition that this administration refused to accept funds from the Chinese government,” McClean told the Senate.

“Let me say this categorically, the Government of Barbados, through its arrangements, bilateral at the level of country to country and country to region . . . is part of an arrangement to access resources whether it is grant funding, special loans or loans at special concessionary rates. In respect of capital projects in this country it was agreed between the two countries to submit a set of proposals for funding and we submitted a set, including the issue of sewerage in those projects.

“The government of China through its various agencies would have looked at that and they also identified their priorities for funding. So the Opposition Leader is out of place and incorrect. I know she has access to all kinds of information that she shouldn’t have . . . but to say those kinds of things are misleading. So persons will look at you and say, ‘how come the Government of Barbados has refused these things’, when it is not true,” McClean added.

Mottley had alleged that Government had received a proposal from China in July 2014 for over $200 million to fund the programme, 85 per cent of the cost for building a west coast sewerage plant, a Bridgetown upgrade and a south coast sewerage treatment plant upgrade.

She said at the time the proposal was valid for 12 months up to August 2015, but “the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has never received a response” to the proposal from the Ministry of Finance.

I always say the problem in this country is that while governments change, civil servants remain in their politically strategically placed positions by their constituency or party representative.

This Opposition leader like the late David Thompson and others before him too had gotten their hands on information they were not privileged to. Clearly they’re operatives at work for others apart from their employer who pays them.

How will we ever get an efficient civil service? When favors are done rewards are owed when the administration changes. Is this what we will continue to pay for?

I always say the problem in this country is that while governments change, civil servants remain in their politically strategically placed positions by their constituency or party representative.
This Opposition leader like the late David Thompson and others before him too had gotten their hands on information they were not privileged to. Clearly they’re operatives at work for others apart from their employer who pays them.
How will we ever get an efficient civil service? When favors are done rewards are owed when the administration changes. Is this what we will continue to pay for?

If it’s a lie, where exactly on the West Coast is the sewage plant located again?

Oh please, Bajans just tired of this non-performing government, and frankly, one that does not seem to bother to be truthful with its citizens.

On December 13, 2014 in a story carried by Barbados Today, the Minister of Water Resource Management was reported as having a meeting with a six-member team of Chinese engineers on the proposed project. He was then quoted as saying that the loan would be “a commercial loan and I think the interest rate is around 3.90 per cent”.

Then in a story carried in the same paper on December 24, 2014, it was reported that Minister Estwick was preparing to take the matter to Cabinet with a view to getting the Ministry of Finance to give the urgent go-ahead to BWA to secure a loan of $600 million from the People’s Republic of China and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited for the West Coast Sewage project.

So since, we have not heard that the project has started, two years later, it stand to reason that the assumption or assertion could well be made that the Government has yet again dropped the ball. We could hear all sorts of promises about Sam Lord’s which could hardly be more of a priority than a project to ensure the health of the country and its marine resources. Does this government really think that tourists are going to visit a country where problems like this exist and are allowed to get out of hand?

It has to be said, that on this occasion, Miss Mottley and the Barbados Labour Party is right, misplaced government priorities and poor policy choices. As we lurch from crisis to crisis, shortage of natural gas at Christmas 2014, no water in a quarter of the country at Christmas 2015 and now sewage on the south coast at Christmas 2016, one is only question left to ask, what next?

If it’s a lie, where exactly on the West Coast is the sewage plant located again?
Oh please, Bajans just tired of this non-performing government, and frankly, one that does not seem to bother to be truthful with its citizens.
On December 13, 2014 in a story carried by Barbados Today, the Minister of Water Resource Management was reported as having a meeting with a six-member team of Chinese engineers on the proposed project. He was then quoted as saying that the loan would be “a commercial loan and I think the interest rate is around 3.90 per cent”.
Then in a story carried in the same paper on December 24, 2014, it was reported that Minister Estwick was preparing to take the matter to Cabinet with a view to getting the Ministry of Finance to give the urgent go-ahead to BWA to secure a loan of $600 million from the People’s Republic of China and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited for the West Coast Sewage project.
So since, we have not heard that the project has started, two years later, it stand to reason that the assumption or assertion could well be made that the Government has yet again dropped the ball. We could hear all sorts of promises about Sam Lord’s which could hardly be more of a priority than a project to ensure the health of the country and its marine resources. Does this government really think that tourists are going to visit a country where problems like this exist and are allowed to get out of hand?
It has to be said, that on this occasion, Miss Mottley and the Barbados Labour Party is right, misplaced government priorities and poor policy choices. As we lurch from crisis to crisis, shortage of natural gas at Christmas 2014, no water in a quarter of the country at Christmas 2015 and now sewage on the south coast at Christmas 2016, one is only question left to ask, what next?

if tourism is our main industry would tourist still come if they are aware of how unsightly the garbage mountains are in our once aesthetically beautiful Island and now and now this sewage debacle. Now that Cuba is accessible to all, we will be the laughing stock of the tourist industry

if tourism is our main industry would tourist still come if they are aware of how unsightly the garbage mountains are in our once aesthetically beautiful Island and now and now this sewage debacle. Now that Cuba is accessible to all, we will be the laughing stock of the tourist industry

I’m not surprised by Senator McClean denial. What else do you do when you get caught with your pants down? What do you do when your incompetence is shown up? Four Seasons, Cahill, Sewerage Project, abuse if NIS funds, Garbage Collection issues, Water woes. This administration cannot run this country well. God help us all.

I’m not surprised by Senator McClean denial. What else do you do when you get caught with your pants down? What do you do when your incompetence is shown up? Four Seasons, Cahill, Sewerage Project, abuse if NIS funds, Garbage Collection issues, Water woes. This administration cannot run this country well. God help us all.

Has anybody noticed that a $600 million loan for the West Coast Sewage Project has now become $1billion according to Senator Harry Husbands. Ok so lets add the $2million to replace the pumps and diffusers on the South Coast Sewage system. That leaves $398 million to upgrade the existing South Coast and Bridgetown plants.

Has anybody noticed that a $600 million loan for the West Coast Sewage Project has now become $1billion according to Senator Harry Husbands. Ok so lets add the $2million to replace the pumps and diffusers on the South Coast Sewage system. That leaves $398 million to upgrade the existing South Coast and Bridgetown plants.
This sounding a lot like another Cahill!

May I ask ! What is the China Government assesment on the maintenance and operation’s practices on the sewer plant system operations on the island? They are not just dump money into projects that worthless efforts. Their motto is ” Productive buisness not run around business”!

May I ask ! What is the China Government assesment on the maintenance and operation’s practices on the sewer plant system operations on the island? They are not just dump money into projects that worthless efforts. Their motto is ” Productive buisness not run around business”!

Why exactly is this information not public information? So the Chinese want a commercial loan sweetened by certain political favours from Barbados. Let’s see the deal, especially if it is contentious. Trying to keep it secret isn’t going to work.

Why exactly is this information not public information? So the Chinese want a commercial loan sweetened by certain political favours from Barbados. Let’s see the deal, especially if it is contentious. Trying to keep it secret isn’t going to work.

Why do people in the DLP dispute issues which are factual and provable?
I wonder if this Senator believes that Barbadians are inherently stupid and so woefully un-informed that she can openly dispute a known fact, lie about it and then carry on as usual.
It is the opposition’s duty to let the people of Barbados know when incompetence is rift within the Government.
Listen here people, the Opposition leader is correct.
The documents were leaked and that is sufficient for me. The Opposition leader did what she was supposed to do.
I do not buy the “Mottley was out of place” gibberish from the senator.

Documents are supposed to he public records ND available to taxpayers on equestrian. Why assert 5hat the Leader of the Opposition should not have these docs? Why do we put up with statements like these and don’t challenge them when it is our business to know what the Govt. Of the day is doing or committing our tax dollars to without our knowing or our approval. Why so many different sums bandied about? 600 million. One billion. Reeks of incompetence or bribery or disarray in the Cabinet and Finance Ministry 8f they can even get the figures right!

Documents are supposed to he public records ND available to taxpayers on equestrian. Why assert 5hat the Leader of the Opposition should not have these docs? Why do we put up with statements like these and don’t challenge them when it is our business to know what the Govt. Of the day is doing or committing our tax dollars to without our knowing or our approval. Why so many different sums bandied about? 600 million. One billion. Reeks of incompetence or bribery or disarray in the Cabinet and Finance Ministry 8f they can even get the figures right!